Mission Complete!: 'Emotionally Strong Enough to Be Your Man'

In a scene where every musician seems to constantly rotate through at least five other bands, Mission Complete! frontman Ryan Teter has long followed form — he's played for Marcus Rubio's Gospel Choir of Pillows, Deer Vibes, Bad Breaks, and several other off-and-on acts, so you'd be forgiven for overlooking his primary band. Well, until now that is. With this debut, Teter and crew — Rudy Villarreal on drums, Michael Squilla on bass — have crafted their statement of purpose. Fair warning: it's a fucking loud one. Anyone who has witnessed the band live can attest to their physical presence, and wisely the band, along with producer Edwin Stephens (Blowing Trees, Fishermen), fashioned Man to approximate that live energy. The result is an aural assault, with only one second left between each of the 11 tracks to gasp for air before hurtling full speed into the next. With the tempos locked into fifth (and occasionally sixth) gear, the band further punctuates each track with group-shout vocals, horn blasts, double-time breaks, and plenty of nasty guitar heroics. It's telling that the record's quietest moment ("Traffic") acts primarily as a set-up for its loudest (the triumphant closer "Metroplex"). But nuance be damned — Man is loud, proud, and all the better for it.

★★★★ (out of 5 stars)